Chapter 1

They can't catch me, I wont let them! The young girl thought to herself as she ran. They'll kill me. Like mom, dad, grandpa, Syzna, and even baby Trishna. The little angel, she was so young and innocent. How could they have done that to her?! She was only three winters old. No! I must not mourn, there is a time for mourning and it's not right now. Now is the time to run!

"I think I saw her go over there," her chasers yelled to each other. They were catching up. As she ducked behind a bush she noticed that she was not the only one hiding.

"Hello. Why are you running?" A curious boy asked as she sat down beside him.

"Hush for right now. If they find us they will show us no mercy." She told the little boy. They sat in silence for what seemed like and eternity. Still her seekers did not find them.

"I think it's okay to come out now," she said as they cautiously climbed out from behind the bush. "My name's Tintheia, what's yours?"

"Tintheia's a funny name. My mommy say's I shouldn't talk to strangers, but we're friends now. My name's Jason. I'm six years old. I had a mommy and a daddy. Ralphie says that they went away on a trip. Ralphie's seventeen years old. Ohh, he gets mad at me when I call him that, please don't tell him I called him that. Ever since mommy and daddy left us, he's been looking after me. Ralphie's my only brother. I have no sisters. Do you have a brother? Do you have a mommy and a daddy? Do you have a sister? How old are you? Why are you out here? I'm here because Ralphie asked me to get him some berries. That's my job, to help Ralphie get some berries. I also have to clean our house; we don't have a very big house. We used to have a horsie, but a dragon ate him, Ralphie said that mommy and daddy are gone where Jake is gone. Jake was our horsie. I used to ride him everyday, but he's gone now." He spoke so fast that Tintheia had to listen very carefully to understand him.

"Wow. I used to have a mom, a dad, and two little sisters, but their gone now. They're gone to the same place as you mom and dad are," Tintheia said with a note of sadness in her voice.

"Oh, how long will they be gone? And you forgot to tell me if you have a brother and why you are out here, and how old you are." Jason asked again.

"My parents will be gone forever. I don't have a brother and I'm out here because I have no place to go. I'm sixteen winters, oh ah, I mean sixteen years old." Tintheia quickly corrected herself.

"You can stay with us. Ralphie won't mind." Jason offered. She was surprised how old Jason acted for such a little boy, kinda like how Syzna was; oh boy did she miss her family.

Tintheia was deep in thought when a sound far off broke her train of thought. She listened very intently to the sound, "sure I'll stay with you, but only for a little while." She told him as she was looking around. "I'm sure I heard footsteps, but I must be hearing things. After what I've been through I'm surprised that I don't hear voices," Tintheia thought aloud to herself.

"Tintheia? What do you mean by that… is there someone in the woods?" Jason sounded frightened.

"No, its nothing, don't worry you little head about a thing. You'll be fine as long as you with me." Tintheia reassuringly told him.

As Tintheia and Jason left to go to Jason's house a man sat in the bushes that they occupied so shortly before. "Ha, I will be the one to bring Tintheia to Lord Gandown, I alone will be the one that could catch the girl," the man thought to himself.

"What! How can you say you lost her?! She's just a little girl! Leave me, before I decide to feed you to my dragons!" Lord Gandown was a strong, healthy man. His steal blue eyes seemed to pierce your sole. His hair was short, dark brown.

He became lord of Cathnas at the young age of 15. That was two years ago. His peasants seemed to be afraid of him. His father treated them like friends; to Lord Gandown they were no better then the golden chair in which he sat.

Lord Gandown was now becoming of age to marry. Any girl would love to be his wife, but he didn't want any girl, he wanted the best. He wanted Tintheia, and nothing could stop him, not anything that she could do.

Well this is my very first story... please tell me if you like it.... i would love your feed back... and if there are any problems please let me know...if there are any spelling or gammar errors would you please let me know... and if you have an idea for a title for this story i would be glad to hear it.